The Official Newsletter of the Philippine-New York Junior Chamber (Jaycees), Inc.

Volume XXXIV, Fall 2008

By Ted Martinez & Joe Valdez

The 2008 Philippine Independence Day

Parade in New York City was a glorious
Floating High!
day not only for the Filipino community
as they celebrated 110 years since the
end of Spanish colonialism but also for
the Philippine-New York Jaycees who
commemorated their 45th anniversary.
Pinoy pride was in full force along
Madison Avenue on the 1st of June as
parade marchers and spectators
representing every region of the
motherland adorned the street with
waving flags, splendid banners, native
costumes, grand floats, musical
performances, and of course genuine
Filipino smiles. The Jaycees created an
outstanding impression in the procession
by presenting their first float ever and it
showcased two talented singers. It was
difficult to ignore the elevated cheers as
it slowly passed the thousands of
viewers who were delighted to see a
lovely effort.

Marching down Madison Avenue

The Jaycee float was unique and revolutionary in many respects. It was flanked on both
sides by more than 20 Jaycees members marching while wearing beautifully fashioned
uniforms: light blue barongs for men and light blue kimonas for women, exclusively
designed and shipped from the Philippines. As they rallied down the street, the
marchers distributed hundreds of white sampaguita leis to the spectators who wrestled
for many of the leis that were handed out. Among the crowd’s favorites was the tandem
singing performance by Kaye Gonzalez and Lora Nicolas. Their beautiful renditions of
popular Filipino patriotic songs such as Bayan Ko, Magkaisa, We are the Children of
Yesterday’s Dream, and Mahal Kong Pilipinas were appreciated by all. Many of the
older spectators proudly sang along while those of the younger generation raised their
spirited applause.

Among those riding the float were past Philippine-New York Jaycees presidents Joseph
Tieng and Sergio Estrada, current president Victor de Leon, chapter officers, and
members from the Korea American Jaycees. The silver and blue covered float was
decorated with a massive version of the chapter’s shield and logo as the backdrop and
above it was a beautiful inscription; “45 Years of Excellence”.

The 45th Anniversary float was a vision by the chapter’s Vice President of Community
Development, Ted Martinez. He was the overall chairperson of the project which was
Top: Lora Nicolas singing co-chaired by one of the newest members, Belinda Molina. Completing the project
Bottom: Jaycees marchers Continued on Page 8
The Philippine-New York Junior Chamber (Jaycees), Inc.
Chapter mailing address: P.O. Box 634, Grand Central Station, New York, New York 10163
Website: www.philnyjaycees.org
Contact email: info@philnyjaycees.org

Remembering 9/11
By Joe Valdez
Editor-in-Chief
Inquiring minds often ask. Here is my story, summarized:
Because I was working in my office past midnight the night
before, I was running late on 9/11. As I rushed from the Wall
Street subway station towards the World Trade towers, I did
not notice the buildings were on fire because it was so high and
above my field of vision. The large crowd running everywhere
was normal for that time of day. Fortunately, a police officer
stopped me right before I reached Tower 2 and that was when I
looked up and saw the damage. Awe-struck, I tried calling my
co-workers on the 73rd floor to warn them to evacuate the
building. Then I heard a deafening crack followed by someone
shouting "RUNNNNNNN" and when I faced up, I saw the
building already descending upon the crowd I was standing
with. I was so close to the falling tower, I knew I wasn't going
to make it and at that moment, I accepted death.
I simply stared at the huge structure slowly collapsing.
Numerous things were happening but it all felt like super slow
motion and I remember my ears went completely silent. As
much as I wanted to run away, I was simply mesmerized. I
finally snapped out of it when someone else running away
knocked me down. As I turned to run, I saw another horrific
sight, a stampede of people running over each other for
survival. You probably will never see images of it but I saw a
lot of innocent people, mostly women, thrown to the ground.
Before I was able to run half a block away, I found myself
completely engulfed in thick black smoke and visibility turned
to zero. I was knocked down again and when I picked myself
up, I did not know what direction I was facing and which way
to go to avoid running towards the towers. I quickly
remembered that I was on a one way street, so I used my hands
to feel for the front of the parked vehicles to give me an idea of
where to go. From the start of the collapse to this point of the
story took less 60 seconds.
After I figured out where to run, I was faced with another
challenge. The dense black smoke was also full of debris and
particles from the building. My nose and mouth eventually
clogged and breathing became impossible. While suffocating, I
literally had to put my hands in my mouth and down my throat
to dig out the toxic debris that I inhaled and swallowed. But
every time I heaved for air, more of the debris would block my
throat. So I unbuttoned my shirt and pulled my undershirt in
front of my face and over my head to filter out the smoke. As I
managed to walk a block down the street, I found a man trying
to kick down a window of a building. I knew he was just trying
to get in the building for safety and cleaner air. He couldn't
knock it down with repeated attempts but we were able to
break it together. As he ran in through the window, he was
nearly killed by large falling glass crashing from the top of the
window. I followed him into the lobby and we felt safe. But
that feeling did not last long.
Within less than a minute of stepping into the building, other
people from the outside also kicked down windows to get in.
Because of the openings in the windows, the lobby quickly
absorbed the thick smoke we were all trying to avoid. So
people rushed to vacate the lobby. I somehow found the
rotating door and I recalled that rotating doors were designed
2
to keep air in and out of the building. So I parked myself in the
rotating door and was safe for a while. Then some people ran
into where I was hiding and forced me out. Once again, I found
myself in the darkness outside the building. I ran across the
street to try to enter another building. However, as I looked
from the outside, the building lobby was crowded beyond
capacity and I was disturbed when they refused to open the
door for me. My banging on the door was ignored and those
inside all had the same blank zombie-like faces. As I stood
there in utter silence, I heard faint cries for help in the distance
and people behind me yelling; “I can’t breathe”.
Like everyone else, I struggled to walk down the street and
breathing remained a battle until I finally found a delicatessen.
I sprinted in to grab water and poured it down my throat,
washing down the dirt. I noticed the young lady employee
handing water to everyone who labored past her store. She was
an angel. Rejuvenated, I grabbed as many bottles of water as I
can and ran back towards the towers. I found some people
crawling or fighting to move on and quickly handed them
water.
After I gave away all the water, I rushed towards the Brooklyn
Bridge and that was when I heard another low flying plane
rapidly approaching. Everyone around me started running as
fast as they can again and I was horrified. We were all relieved
when we realized it was a military jet fighter sent to secure the
area. But the intensity of that morning was unforgiving.
Standing only ten blocks away, I turned around to see the
second tower collapse. From my perspective, it was a
remarkable sight. As the rumble turned to silence, standing
there motionless, the magnitude of the series of events that just
occurred finally struck me. Wondering if all of my coworkers
and friends in the towers were dead, I collapsed and fell to my
knees. This time, it took me a much longer time to pick myself
up.
I found myself walking through Chinatown when I felt the
need for some water and I was shocked when the stores
refused to offer their water for free. Desperate and
demoralized, I reached for all the cash in my pocket and threw
it at a storekeeper’s face for a small bottle of water. As I
staggered on, I saw a clear reflection of myself on the side of a
glass building and the only part of me that was not black was
my eyes. I eventually walked over six miles to meet my mother
who was working in the Upper East Side, not knowing if her
son was still alive. The journey back home required another
long walk to Queens with the largest exodus on the
Queensboro Bridge I have ever seen.
Three months later, my coworker found me in a random state
of shock... Until now, I deal with the psychological damages
from that day.

President’s Message
Greetings, fellow members and friends!
Welcome to this current edition of The Tambuli, the
award-winning chapter newsletter of The
Philippine-New York Junior Chamber! With this
issue, we are about to embark on a new era of
excellence in journalism, skillfully headed by our
new Editor-in-Chief, Joe Valdez (2007 Membership
Services Vice President). He is succeeding long-
time member and Editor-in-Chief, Jocelyn Bernal,
whose service and leadership we are, eternally,
grateful for. While Joe will have some big shoes to
fill in this capacity, we are confident that he will do
so, quite ably. The revival of the Tambuli could not
have come at a better time, here in 2008, our 45th
Anniversary year; as we go forward and strive
towards excellence in leadership for another 45
years and more. Let us all contribute together to
make our newsletter even more vibrant; exciting;
and the premiere and leading publication of its kind!
Enjoy!
Victor E. de Leon
2008 Chapter President
Bylaws Ratified in January 2008 GMM
By Jocelyn Bernal
As of the end of Jan 2008, the amended Bylaws
governing the portion covering the Lifetime Awards and
the Awards Committee was finally ratified by the
General Membership. This marks the culmination of two
years worth of deliberation within the chapter level and
with the Governors, Ambassadors and Senators of the
Chapter.
Special thanks to 2006 Chapter President Vivian
Velasco for allowing us to begin discussions on this
matter and to members of the 2006 Board and Bylaws
committee for their contributions. Thanks also to 2007
Chapter President Gary Abasolo for permitting us to
complete the discussion and for 2008 Chapter President
Victor De Leon for finally scheduling the ratification of
these Bylaws amendment during the recently concluded
General Membership Meeting.
3
2007 YEAR-END AWARDS
Outstanding Chapter of the Year (Top 3 Finalists) -
The Philippine-New York Jaycees
Most Outstanding Chapter President of the Year
(Don Cavalli Memorial Award) - Gary Abasolo
(President)
Parade of Chapters (Top 3 Finalists) - The Philippine-
New York Jaycees
Outstanding Project (Top 3 Finalists) - Kid's Day
America (Addie Adams, Project Chair)
Most Outstanding Jaycee - Victor De Leon (Director)
Outstanding Jaycee (Top 3 Finalists) - Edwin Ochoa
(Webmaster)
Outstanding Staff Officer (Top 3 Finalists)- Marjerie
Rosales(Secretary)
2007 'Master Speak Up' Competition Winner - Gary
Abasolo (President)
Most Outstanding Region of the Year - Region South
(our chapter is in Region South)
The newly appointed awards committee comprised of
five individuals will come up with the final guidelines
that will be applicable to the present day. This will be
the continuing charge of future Awards Committees as
they are appointed annually.
Chapter President Victor de Leon and Senate President
Jocelyn Bernal will announce the names of the 2008
Awards committee once they are confirmed.
As we celebrate our 45th year of service to our
communities, we look forward to presenting the next set
of lifetime awards to those who are truly deserving not
only for their efforts today but for also their outstanding
service in years past. The New York State Junior
Chamber (Jaycees) 2007 Year-End Convention took
place on January 11th-13th in Syracuse, New York and
the Philippine-NY chapter brought home a number of
year-end awards.

Why the Jaycee Experience is a Lifetime Tool
By Max Madridejos, Jr.
I joined the Jaycees in 1969 and was
elected as the 10th President in
1973. After a few years, I resigned
from my full time job as an
accountant and started my own
business in real estate.
I don't think I will be courageous
enough to cut the employment
monthly cash flow if not for the
knowledge gained from my Jaycee
association.
The Jaycee experience was the
foundation of a lot of things that any
young man or woman can ever learn
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
and apply in action to life situations.
From public relations to finance,
from public speaking to time
management, from success to
failure, from losing a job to finding
a job and almost every single
Integrity of Communication
We all have said things we didn’t mean,
but words have power - they can make
you feel an array of feelings from sad to
discouraged, or from happy to hopeful.
Words can incite anger and provoke
negative actions. Words can even raise
our self-esteem or even lower it. So, our
choice of words, and how words are
presented (especially in e-mails), all
contribute to how the message is
received. Messages are conveyed
through the attitude, mood, and
emotions of the messenger at the time.
Perhaps the single most contributing
factor to how a message is received is
the messenger’s tone of voice or tone of
writing. The tone is the rhythm of the
message, and sums up how the
messenger felt at a given moment and
depicts the true hidden intension and
motivation of the message. The tone
colors the message and that color is seen
through word choice, word omission,
repetitiveness, wordiness, length of
message, and the existence (or lack of
existence) of appreciation for the person
on the receiving end of the message.
In order to establish and maintain
integrity in communication, one must
aspect of life there is... there is the
Jaycee foundation that will carry
you to your final destination.
The best part, on top of all of this
excitement are the real friendships
that you gain, many of them are still
with me after 39 years.
Now that I am in my mid-sixties, I
still recall just as if it was just a
moment ago that the butterflies in
my stomach are still there all these
By Addie Addams
never convey rudeness or disrespect.
The key to getting one’s point across
w/o being rude or disrespectful, is to
hold onto integrity as the measure of
excellent communication. So, here’s
what should be kept in mind if one truly
desires to practice integrity in
communication: avoid stating things
that can not be said unashamedly out in
the open; freely admit wrong doing w/o
excuse; choose morality as the right
side (‘cause it’s the only side); do not
abuse one’s power through expressions
of arrogance; be honest w/o being
snippy; do not undermine authority
through direct threats or passivity; steer
away from condescending and selfish
statements that are intended to make
one’s self look better over others;
restrain from false flattery; keep clear of
false promises; stay far away from
words and phrases that divide; never lie
nor continue in someone’s else’s lie; do
not use words that conjure angry
feelings or may put someone on the
defensive; never repeat unsubstantiated
statements or stories that motivate the
continual spread of gossip, assumptions,
and rumors; and lastly, always say what
you mean, mean what you say.
4
years, when someone will call my
name to stand up and speak like a
real Jaycee. The fear is still there,
the nervousness is still there, the
tension is still there, but it is all
covered with confidence and hope
that I can manage to stand up to
anything.
The real test of the Jaycee
Movement is not how much
money you can accumulate
but how much time you can
share your life to make other
life worthwhile.
Love everyone for this is the most
powerful thing on EARTH.
Thank you because I am still
around.
To avoid rudeness and disrespect in e-
mail write-ups, refrain from the usage of
the following: ALL CAPS, bolding,
underlining, and color-coding any of the
words within the message. Each of
these features represents yelling, and
arrogance, and belittles the reader,
thereby, potentially invoking feelings of
condemnation and defensiveness. The
mere purpose of an e-mail is to be
informal and brief. Informality,
however, does not give one liberty to not
be polite. Politeness is essential in order
to establish integrity of respect for the
reader. And, e-mails are also meant to
be concise, and to the point. Therefore,
one’s main point should be at the very
beginning of an e-mail. Everyone
should always remember that e-mails
last a very, very longtime in cyberspace,
but more importantly, words last in the
hearts and in the minds of others, for a
lifetime… “Death and life are in the
power of the tongue....” (Proverbs
18:21)…….. “A soft answer turneth
away wrath…..” (Proverbs 15:1).
 5
Glorious Picnic
By Jocelyn Bernal
On Saturday, August 9, the Philippine-
New York Jaycees held our annual
picnic at Cunningham Park. Unlike
previous years where our picnic was
held in conjunction with another
community event, this year the chapter
opted to have our own picnic at a new
location. Under the leadership of
Membership Services Vice President
Zultan Bermudez, we had a picture
perfect event.

Our navy blue banner was hanging

proudly between two massive trees....no
one could miss who we are and no one
would need to ask who we are because it
was plainly stated in our banner that we The Jaycees and FOJs at Cunningham Park
were a proud organization of leaders
We topped this off with loads of chips and soda but of course, we added a bit of our
who create positive change in the
own flavor...roasted chicken, mac and cheese, macaroni/chicken salad, brownies and
world...
turon....Thanks to Joe Valdez, Bel Molina and Giselle Aranda for being our master
chefs for the first part of the afternoon.
Our menu was simple and typical of an
American get-together - just burgers and
After lunch, 2008 Community Development Vice President Ted Martinez prepared
hot dogs freshly grilled.
our games. For those who were wondering what was in the mysterious case that Ted
brought, well they did not have to wait for too much longer. After sliding off the
blue top, Ted managed to slide out the first of many balloons....not just any balloon,
but a water balloon. All the members present were made to pick a partner and we
proceeded to play the water balloon toss. The goal of this game was to keep
throwing the water balloon until it exploded. The lucky winners were Joe Valdez
and John Paul Ramos. A second game was played with different partners and this
time Joe Valdez and FOJ (friend of Jaycees) Alan won. Ted gave some really nice
prizes which included $25 gift certificates to ESPN zone and $20 for buckets of
popcorn also from ESPN zone.

There were still some water balloons left which inevitably ended up on Chairman of
the Board, Gary Abasolo. He was a really terrific sport despite being pursued
relentlessly by some of our members who were all intent to get him wet. Thumbs up
Water balloon game to COB Gary!

By Carissa Villacorta
86 million tourist spots
I rarely take a trip outside Manila when I
go home to the Philippines. I go there
not to go around – but to be in one
place: with my family and friends.
However, I can't help but be amazed the
moment I step on Philippine soil, not by
the sight of places but of people who
greet me at the airport, restaurants and
stores. There's just a genuine, almost
innocent way of dealing that Filipinos
manifest in social settings.
When among non-Filipinos, stories are
said and heard of Boracay, Palawan,
Bohol and Siargao. But the more
resounding chatter covers the amazing
qualities they found in Filipinos they
met on ships, at home, at work or
through friends.
Truly, the tourist spots of the Philippines
are the Filipinos. And they're here, there
and everywhere.
And as long as there is something about
us individually, that is beautiful,
amazing, warm, and different, we, the
Filipino, are one of the few wonders of
the world. We are the Philippines'
walking, talking tourist spots, and are
our country's greatest assets. And as
long as we don't deteriorate, or shut
down, like many usual tourist spots,
people around the world will continue
loving Filipinos and the home that
nurtured us – the Philippines.

Twinning Agreement
By Cri-Cri Ramos
Twinning Agreement
On September 2, as Ambassador of
Goodwill and 2008 Presidential
Advisor, it was my honor to renew the
Sisterhood Agreement with two JCI
LOMs: Makati Jaycees, headed by
President Jay Santiago and Manileña
Jaycees, led by President Shiela Jaucian.
It was also a meaningful event since JCI
Perlas Pasay, my home chapter and one
of the International Awardees in the
Philippines headed by President Hazel
Saez, agreed to have a new sisterhood
pact signing with the assistance of
Perlas Pasay President of International
Foundation JCI Senator Aggie Angeles.
Tokens, certificates and plaques were
also awarded as a gesture to continue a
good relationship and to collaborate
future projects among the JCI LOMs.
The Twinning was held in San Lorenzo
Village Clubhouse, Makati, followed by
buffet dinner hosted by JCI Makati
President and National Executive Vice
President Jay Santiago, a Barangay
Captain of San Lorenzo Village.
The night did not end without thanking
the co-host chapters, JCI Manileña,
Perlas Pasay and various chapters like
Paranaque, "Pambato," Hacienda,
Pateros and many more.
As Guest of Honor, I encouraged each
member to continue their involvement
in their chapters, especially in terms of
helping boost the chapter's membership,
doing quality projects, having a lifetime
commitment to the organization and
emphasizing that "Service to Humanity
is the Best Work of Life."
My Something Better
By Giselle Aranda
When God closes a door, He opens a
window. In my case, He did not only open a
window, He opened it to a balcony that
extended far and wide to the most
magnificent view I have ever seen. It's true
that He always has a plan for you and though
you may not realize it at that time He says
No, when He finally says Go, it will be all
that you have dreamed of and more.
In 2006, I moved to New York City from the
Philippines with high hopes and big dreams.
I had been accepted at New York University's
Masters in Publishing program and I was
both excited and nervous to start my new life
here. My childhood goals of moving to New
York and attending NYU had already come
true and I felt extremely blessed for this
opportunity. However, I wanted something
more - I wanted to make a name for myself in
the publishing field and dreamt of making it
big in New York.
Destiny fulfilled
In the Fall of 2006 while interning at a major
publishing company I got a call to interview
for another internship at my dream magazine.
I was beyond thrilled and when I was offered
the internship for Spring 2007, I thought that
nothing could possibly be better than this.
2007 was the happiest and most fulfilling
year career-wise that I ever had. To say that I
enjoyed my internship - extended on a paid
basis for the rest of 2007 - is a big
understatement. I never thought there could
be anything better than what I was already
experiencing.
In the middle of the year, my director and the
department head discussed the possibility of
offering me a full-time position. It was too
good to be true--and as I found out after
meetings with HR and lawyers, it was.
Unfortunately, I couldn't be hired because I
did not have U.S. work authorization beyond
my student visa 1-year Optional Practical
Training. The company did not want to take
the risk of investing in me financially and
professionally if there was no guarantee I
would be able to stay beyond one year. I was
extremely devastated but I continued to do
well at work and kept a positive demeanor.
6
TIME Intern of the Year 2007
On my last week in December 2007, the
department threw me a farewell party, gave
me a bonus and other gifts, and prepared a
framed mock up of the magazine cover with
my face on it that said "Intern of the Year". I
was extremely touched and I knew more than
ever that I wanted to go back to this company
someday. I felt privileged to have worked for
such an iconic and established media brand
with some of the most brilliant, passionate
and generous individuals I have ever met.
On my way to Manila for the Holidays, I
stopped by the company's office in Singapore
for an exploratory meeting but that also did
not lead to anything. I decided to return to the
U.S. for my NYU graduation and to look for
work. Three weeks later, I got an offer from
an advertising agency that was willing to
sponsor my work permit. Last April, I had to
go through a lottery for the H1-B work permit
and again I got lucky. I was fortunate enough
to be one of the 85,000 out of 150,000+
randomly selected non residents given a
chance to work in the U.S.
I shared my good news with some friends,
one of whom was a former colleague at my
old company. She mentioned it to my former
bosses right around the same time that
someone in the department was also leaving.
They consulted their lawyers again, and
maybe because there was no need for a
lottery anymore (and the risk is lower), they
offered me a job and agreed to transfer my
work permit from my old company to theirs.
One month later, the petition got approved.
Two weeks after - and almost one year after
they initially said No - I started my second
first day at the same department where I
interned, with the same people I have come to
love, doing the job I like best and more.
Never in a million years did I think it would
turn out this way. All my hard work my entire
life -- from editing our high school paper to
being president of my organization and a
member of the student council at the
University of the Philippines to working at
Ogilvy and the Philippine Daily Inquirer --
have finally paid off. Because I was patient,
strong and kept the faith, my destiny had
been fulfilled. I'm back where I belong,
loving every moment of every minute of
every day. Dreams come true, and I have
found my something better. Thank you, Lord.

You Say, Stay
By Carissa Villacorta
Brain Drain? Brain Gain? Brain Sustain.
Whenever I'm in a conference, or at a
lunch with people I hardly know, there's
always someone who later asks, "Do
you have any plans of returning to the
Philippines to give back to our
country?"
Maybe it's just me, but I find this
question somewhat unnecessary. I've
always believed that our commitment to
our country is not dependent on where
we are geographically. We don't have to
be in the Philippines to work for the
Philippines. I have many friends who
help through their frequent donations to
Philippine based non-profit
organizations or medical missions. I for
one, have not contributed to the
betterment of the Filipino people and the
Philippines, as much as I have from here
- 10,000 miles away.
I don't like hearing this one either:
"Should I stay or should I go?" There is
nothing more annoying than people who
want to be in Manila when they're in
New York, and want to be in New York
when they're in Manila . It only confuses
our employers, family and friends.
Though I understand being homesick, I
feel that in our generation of ex-pats and
aspiring ex-pats, it's not only a case of
knowing what you want to do, but of
knowing where you want to be. The
people who ask these questions think
and say that the best and brightest of the
Philippines leave. That's impossible!
There are only 10 million around the
world and 75 million still there.
My motto is to just 'Let them be.' 'To
each his own.' Each person has a path to
take. And it's not always set in Manila.
(Especially if you 're mall-ed out from
the dominant presence of shopping
centers.)
Most of our decisions come from our
own personal and familial needs first.
The country needs not feel betrayed
because it is so easy to keep thinking,
talking and being Filipino. It is with us,
it is us - wherever in the world we go. In
the end, one realizes that our being
Filipino reflects on everything that we
do. Everything we do reflect on our
being Filipino. And if everyday, we do
our work with passion, integrity and
responsibility, we give honor to
ourselves, our company and our
country... even if it doesn't make the
headline.
We give what we can or want to.
Whether it's our presence or presents,
our time or money, we all still give
back. In fact, we give back by just being
ourselves and following our own
passions. Because our individual
successes inspire and empower the
collective 86 million. How many times
have we proclaimed, ' Pinoy din yan!
I'm so proud!' It's interesting how we
become more motivated by the success
of our fellow Filipinos. How many
dreams have been sparked by the
successes of Rafe, Lea and Loida?
Innumerable. So let our good stories
multiply, soar and spread. Let's all be a
good story to tell. This way, we not only
control our own destiny, we drive our
countrymen's too.
And so, people who have created lives
outside the Philippines shouldn't be
made to feel guilty of 'betraying' their
native soil. Did anyone question Jose
Rizal, our national hero, when he
decided to study in Spain , work in
Germany, and publish a book in
Belgium ? In fact, he learned 22 foreign
languages, and traveled extensively
through Europe, America and Asia.
With the long travel time in those days,
he hardly even stayed in the Philippines!
But was he any less Filipino? I guess we
all historically agreed that he was more
Filipino than people who stayed in the
Philippines their whole lives.
Finally, as I always say, those are your
feet. Let them take you where you want
to go. No one can take you anywhere
you don't want to, because you control
your feet. Your feet will go where they
want to go...but your heart will stay in
one place - always.
7
FAHSI Announces Recipient
of $20,000 College Scholarship
Filipino American Human Services, Inc.
(FAHSI) is pleased to announce the first
recipient of the FAHSI College Scholarship
Program. A resident of Flushing, Queens,
Jessica Abobo, was awarded the Frederick &
Demi Seguritan Scholarship. Ms. Abobo will
receive $5,000 each year for the next four
years as a student at New York University.
Upon learning that she had been selected,
Ms. Abobo said, "I feel privileged and
honored." A celebratory ceremony will take
place in September 2008.
A graduate of Long Island City High School
in Queens, Ms. Abobo was among the top
three finalists who were interviewed by a
panel, which was comprised of Frederick and
Demi Seguritan (donors of the scholarship) ,
Luis Pedron (FAHSI Board Member) and Joe
Valdez (member of the Philippine-New York
Junior Chamber). Echoing the judges'
unanimous decision, Mrs. Seguritan
commented, "[Ms. Abobo] has great potential
to be a role model in the Filipino
Community." The panel was impressed by
Ms. Abobo's outstanding academic
achievements and focus on pursuing higher
education.
Scholarship applications submitted for the
2008-09 academic term were reviewed
initially by a separate panel of judges, which
included Lara Manjares-Ciamician (FAHSI
Board Member), James Berroya (founder and
CEO of ARKANE™ and The Prince Giolo
Apparel Group™, a New York-based apparel
distribution company), Lydia Buñag (FAHSI
Senior Program Coordinator) , and FAHSI
Executive Director, Johanna Martinez.
Launched in April 2008, the Frederick and
Demi Seguritan Scholarship is the first
scholarship award of the FAHSI College
Scholarship Program (FCSP). Offering
$100,000 in college scholarships, the FCSP
will select one Filipino/Filipino American
graduating high school senior from the Tri-
State Area each year over the next 4 years.
The scholarship is awarded to a student who
demonstrates a passion for business and
service to the Filipino Community.
While in college, the Recipient will also
receive mentoring from Frederick and Demi
Seguritan and FAHSI Board members and
staff. FAHSI's Executive Director, Ms.
Martinez, said, "The FAHSI College
Scholarship Program invests not only in
Filipino/Filipino American youth but also in
the community. Through mentoring, we hope
to cultivate a spirit of giving back to the
Filipino community."
FCSP applications for the 2009-2010
academic term will be available starting
August 15, 2008, on FAHSI's website,
www.fahsi.org.

Tackling Tagalog
By Bel Molina
course’s inception, the Philippine-New
York Jaycees collaborated with FAHSI
in order to help students learn the
language further. Spearheaded by CDVP
Ted Martinez and new member Bel
Molina, a three-phased event was
conducted to allow the students to
practice their Tagalog conversationally
Constructing sentences with native-speaker Jaycee members.
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The second phase was a Tagalog Movie
Night at the Philippine Consulate on
April 22. The students were invited to
watch Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo
Oliveros, a film which has received
numerous awards in several Filipino and
international film festivals. It is the story
of 12-year-old Maximo Oliveros (or
Maxi for short) as he discovers life and
love amidst the squalor and corruption
in the slums of Manila.

“I wanted to learn Tagalog. My mother The three-part program culminated via a

never taught me when I was growing
up,” says Ashley Nowygrod, a strategy
manager for imc2, an interactive
advertising agency. Intent on learning
the native language of her mother, she
actively searched for Tagalog courses
online through which she found out
about the Tagalog course offered by the
Filipino American Human Services, Inc.
(FAHSI). She eventually enrolled in the
organization’s 12-week Tagalog course
in the spring of this year.
FAHSI began offering Tagalog courses
in 2002. The objectives of the course are
for students to build their vocabulary
and grammar as well as to strengthen
reading and pronunciation skills in the
Tagalog language. It also aims to
develop the students' confidence in
understanding and speaking Tagalog.
The course is conducted three times a
year with classes during the fall, spring
and summer. Maximum enrollment is
ten students per class with each course
costing $450 per student.
For the first time since the Tagalog
Karaoke showdown
The first phase was a Happy Hour event
on April 1. Directly after class, the
students went to Nations bar near the
Philippine Consulate where the Tagalog
class was being held. During the hour-
long event, everyone was required to
speak in Tagalog and a fine of a quarter
per English word was mildly imposed.
A language game was also played where
students were asked to form a couple of
teams and construct sentences from a list
of individual words that were given to
them on separate pieces of paper. To
win the game, a team had to complete a
series of proper sentences faster than the
other team. Although there were winners
and losers, all participants enjoyed the
game.
highly amusing Karaoke Showdown at
Perlas ng Silangan in Woodside,
Queens, an area that is also known as
Little Manila. This was held on May 8
when the Tagalog class was nearing its
end. The only rule of the karaoke contest
was for students to sing Tagalog songs.
Ashley took home the best singer title
with her rendition of Lea Salonga’s
version of Nandito Ako.
Luis Franco, the Tagalog course
instructor and current faculty member of
NYU's Asian/Pacific/American Studies
program remarks, “What the students
seemed to like was the informality and
the sense of fun.”
“The collaborative program
complimented our Tagalog class. The
opportunity for students to practice their
Tagalog skills is very valuable and,
further encourages them to continue
with their learning of the language,”
says Johanna Martinez, Executive
Director of FAHSI. She adds, “I am
also a firm believer in collaborations
which benefit the whole community.”

Floating High! (continued from Page 1)

from start to finish called for a Herculean effort as it required organizing fundraisers, collaborating with partners in the Philippines, shipping of
supplies, designing the float, and negotiating with vendors.

A major portion of the fundraising was accomplished by another new member, Dhanesh Shelat who was also the Chairperson for the fundraiser
event, Floatatious. Held at China 1 Club in Alphabet City, the extraordinary party drew well over 100 attendees and raised more than $2,000.
The event featured a show which included Maritess the Magician, the hip-hop dance group DynamiQ Faction, and R&B singer JC. The
responsibility of sponsorships was under a third new member, Mia Fulgado, and corporate sponsors for the evening were Court of Mandarin
Restaurant, Western Union and Red Bull. In addition to gaining much of the funds needed, the event also created considerable awareness to
what the Jaycees are doing. Member, Bernadette Olimpo had the task of marketing the event and she distributed flyers in Filipino
establishments throughout the city.

The Philippine-New York Jaycees past presidents also fundraised over $1,000 in donations to support the float project.

The float project actually ended with a Thank You party, Floatalicious, held on June 12, 2008 at the luscious garden of the Fulgado residence.
That night was intended to recognize and give awards to all participants. The evening also included a movie slide show entitled Float, which
played videos and photos of all the work and events throughout the project. The final treat was having all of the contributors serenaded by
award winning singer RJ Solis singing “This is the moment.”

Once again, the Philippine-New York Jaycees accomplished another challenging mission that fostered personal development, team building,
networking, and friendship.
 9
Upcoming Events

Breast Cancer Walk Oct 19

2009 Officers’ Election
45th Year Gala
NYC Marathon
Support Our Troops
Future Officers’ Training
2009 BOD Planning
Simbang Gabi
Presidential Gala
45th Anniversary Celebration
Oct 22 The Philippine-New York Jaycees Senators, Ambassadors, Governors and Past Presidents in
Oct 25 cooperation with the Philippine-New York Junior Chamber is pleased to announce the chapter’s
Nov 2 45th anniversary celebration luncheon slated for Saturday, October 25, 2008 at La Dolce
Nov 7 Vita/Leonard’s, 555 Northern Blvd, Great Neck, NY 11421. Tickets for this event is $100 per
Nov 15 person.
Dec 6
This event is spearheaded by honorary Chairwoman, Deputy Consul General Melita Sta. Maria
Dec 12 Thomeczek and honorary chair-Victor De Leon, the 2008 chapter President. Overall chair
Dec 27 Jocelyn Bernal and overall co-chair Antero Martinez is leading a group of Past President who
are putting this event together.

During this event the Philippine-New York Junior Chamber will be presenting lifetime
achievement awards to past members of the organization. These awards include the Junior
Chamber International Senatorship, the United States Junior Chamber Ambassadorship, and the
New York State Governorship. Each lifetime award is presented only once in the lifetime of
Jaycee member and each represents the highest award presented in the state, national and
international level.

There will also be special recognition given to partners of the Jaycees who have provided
support to the organization through the years. These include other community organizations, a
corporate partner and a member of the Press.

We invite all current and past members of the Philippine-New York Junior Chamber to join us
for this celebration. Watch out for additional information about the event in the coming weeks.

TAMBULI Staff Please submit your articles or advertisements

for the next issue to nycjoe29@yahoo.com
Contributing Writers
Editor-in-Chief
We feature a myriad of topics ranging from Events,
Joe Valdez Art/Music/Fashion/Food, Technology, Politics, Travel,
Addie Addams Ted Martinez
Giselle Aranda Bel Molina Immigration, Finance, Humor (with or without
Layout Artist graphics), Love Life, Blind Items- basically anything
Jocelyn Bernal Cri-cri Ramos
Bel Molina Max Madridejos, Jr. Carissa Villacorta that you think will create an impact and start a dialogue
in the young Filipino professionals community.